Cherish
by Filly Ingles
Summary: The story of a young girls world being ripped apart in the matter of minutes, and how she goes about repairing the damage, and trying to fit back into the world she lives in.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Hey d'ere Ice Princess!" Jack Kelly called out crudely to the tall silver blonde haired girl as she fixed an icy stare on her face and looked past him. A tall muscular boy, that Cherish only knew as Jake, with a worried look on his face slapped Jack in the stomach slightly then tipped his hat in the half-gypsy's direction.

Cherish's cold gaze fell away and she nodded calmly at Jake, then turned and headed off to sell her papes. Cherish didn't like the outrageous boisterous bunch of Newsies that were always down at the distribution centre. They were crude and rather un-educated.

Ohhh they could read. That was necessary for when you had to call out a headline, but that was about the depth of their intelligence. They hooted and made intelligible sounds, like animals do when they communicate. They never just stopped to absorb the moment. To sit quietly and listen to the birds... or even the busy street noise, they always seemed to be competing with it.

Well all of them but Jake. He was different. Every morning he stood around his friends quitely. He asked for his papers quietly, and he continued on his way quietly. And he was wonderful well mannered. And he stood up for her.

From her very first meeting with the newsies he had stuck up for her. She had been racked with nerves. She had never worked before. Ohh it wasn't because she was lazy, she wanted to work, but up until a month before her sister Marea (Pronounced Mare Like the horse A like the a.) had refused to let her.

But everything had changed last month when Marea had gotten married. Bill was alright... he did drink an awful lot... but Marea was in love with him, and he was a hard worker. Bill had demanded that Marea stay home, to do all the housewifely things that had been previously left up to her. Cherish had to become the bread winner. Her and Bill.

The newsies had tried to make mindless chit chat with her when she had first entered the distribution centre. She hadn't the slightest idea how to talk to the boys and she had taken to standing in a tight lipped silence glaring distantly, so by the time she had come around to meeting the news girl who she would have felt more comfortable around, she was a nervous wreak.

She didn't say a word to anyone that day, despite attempts from many of the newsies. Then the day after and the day after and the week following and the week after that, until she had spent a month without a word to anyone but the world employee's behind the counter.

That's why she had the nick name Ice Princess. One of the Newsies, the one they called Snoddy had made a rather embarrassing suggestion, and her fierce Gypsy/Northern Italian temper flared and she had treated him to the most withering of stares and had flicked her hair and said, "It would be a cold day in hell before I ever had anything to do with you!" Then walked off head held high.

The next day the Ice Queen rumours had started, then the cocky Italian looking one, Racetrack... had said full of mocking, "She ain't hardly old enough ta be a queen, just a princess. An Ice princess." Then she had her nickname. The name the newsies used to taunt her daily. All of them bar Jake.

Cherish closed her eyes a moment fighting back the tears. She had tried not to let them get to her, but she couldn't help it. Dashing her hands quickly over her blue eyes Cherish lifted her chin and a pape and started to hawk the headlines in that days papes.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Jake looked up at the three storey apartment building and frowned. He looked at the doors and windows that were falling off. The dirt that layered the outsides and the smell that wafted around the whole building.

Jake had been shocked to find out that Cherish lived in this dangerous part of the city. She hadn't been to the distribution centre for 2 weeks, and Jake was worried. He knew that they were hardly friends, but he thought that she looked like she could use someone to worry about her. So he had elected to become that person.

That was why he was here. He had had to ask almost every newsies in the Manhattan area to find one, Blocks, who knew where she lived. That was early this morning. He had gotten Blocks to write her address on the back of a piece of newspaper, and he had determined he would go check on her after he sold his papes.

Peeking his head in the door he looked for some evidence of life. Not seeing anyone on the first floor, Jake travelled to the second, then looked down at the paper in his hand, and counted down the doors until he arrived at 12b.

Looking at the clean, white washed door and the impressively writing numbers on it, Jake knew in an instant that the person who lived in the apartment was extremely house proud. Breaking out of his thoughtful daze Jake knocked twice.

He heard no reply, but the door did creak open on it's own accord. Frowning Jake called quietly, "Hello... is there anyone there?" No reply came. He knocked once more, just to make sure, and again no reply came.

Sighing Jake turned and went to head down the stairs again when he heard a soft almost inaudible whimper. Turning around again sharply Jake walked up to the door. Slowly he pushed the door open and looked inside. Before he could say a word he was violently ill.

When he had finished being sick Jake kept his eyes averted from the disgusting visage as he called hesitantly, "Cherish...?" Again he heard the whimper and it tore at his nauseated stomach to see her so unusually vulnerable.

"What happened?" Jake asked edging closer towards where Cherish sat. Cherish's cold blue eye's looked up and they were wild with shock. She said slowly, "There is so much blood. It won't go away. I tried to make it go away. Marea..." Cherish sobbed after the name of her sister.

Jake shook his head risking another look in Cherish's direction. She sat with the bloody, gutted body of a young woman on her legs as she convulsively ran a red hand over the dead girls hair, cooing mindlessly. "Cherish..." He said questions in his voice.

"He didn't mean to do this to her. But she shouldn't have done it. Even I know that. He didn't know where I went. I wanted to help her... but I was too scared. Then there was the blood. Everywhere the blood. I'll never get the stains out of the floor." Cherish fretted with vacant eyes.

"Who didn't mean to do it Cherish?" Jake whispered, his voice stuck in his throat as his stomach lurched at the sight once more. "Cold! Very cold! She's so cold! Get her a blanket! Quick! I don't want her to catch a cold." Cherish said suddenly.

Jake shook his head trying to get his mouth to form the words, with difficulty he ground out, "She's doesn't need a blanket. It won't help." He started to shiver convulsively. It was the most horrifying sight he had ever seen, but Cherish just sat there as if it was natural. Jake thought she must be suffering terribly from the impact of her sisters death.

"You're right." Cherish said determinately trying to stand up and hold her sister at the same time, "I'll pour her a hot bath. She's warm up and we'll get her all clean for when Bill comes home." Cherish smiled calmly still struggling to pull the bloody body from the floor.

"She's dead Cherish! She's dead!" Jake couldn't help but shout. She didn't seem to comprehend the situation. Cherish stopped struggling and put the body down gently and nodded slowly, realization hitting her hard, and visibly. "I know." It wasn't even a whisper. She couldn't deny it when it was said out loud instead of just screamed over and over in her head.

"We have to contact the police!" Jake said turning to Cherish and pleading with her for understanding. "Yes... the police... must call them. I'll prepare some tea. I wouldn't want to seem a bad house keeper would I? You go see the Police... I'll make the tea." Cherish nodded numbly, then looked down at her hands.

"The blood... I must wash up. Go now get the police I'll have a cup of tea waiting when you all return." Cherish said blankly heading into the bathroom to wash the blood off her hands, and then she would have to change to get rid of all the blood over her shirt.

Jake frowned and headed down the stairs. He had no intention of leaving her the way she was. Looking out of the front door Jake looked around and saw a small news boy that he knew vaguely. "You boy! Go down to the police station and get them to come here right away! It's an emergency. Tell them to come to room 12b." Jake added as the boy thought a moment before nodding, thinking that he may be able to get the inside scoop on a headline tomorrow, then he dashed off.

Jake hurried back up the stairs and looked around the apartment for Cherish. She was no where to be seen... just the body of the small dead girl. Looking around in panic Jake heard the sounds of taps running in the small bathroom and he walked quickly over there.

Cherish was at the sink scrubbing her hands red raw. "Cherish... what are you doing?" Jake asked trying to maintain a normal appearance. Cherish didn't look up just said in a squeaky voice, "It won't come off. I can't get it off!"

Jake walked close and took both her hand that were furiously scrubbing the other and he looked at the ripped palms where the hard bristled scrubbing brush had torn and then he turned them over to see the equally jagged top side of her hand.

"There's nothing there..." Cherish shot her hands out of his grasp and held them to her tightly, looking at him accusingly, "You can't see! You're blind! The blood is all over me! All over me!" Cherish confirmed with a breaking voice as she burst into tears.

Jake came forward and pulled her into his arms holding her against his chest when she would have pulled away. He ran a hand down her blood stained silver hair and hushed her, soothed her as she cried for the first time in as long as she could remember


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Are ya crazy Jake?" Jack asked as if Jake was the stupidest person he had ever met. "She can't stay 'ere!" Jack motioned towards the bathroom where Cherish, unknown to Jack, was sitting in a tub, rocking mindlessly back and forth hugging herself as Goosey watched her worriedly.

The girl had scrubbed herself clean in minutes. She'd washed the red from her silver hair, and then she had sat, before washing herself all over again, then she sat. She continued this process 4 times, before she came to were she was now.

Goosey sighed and walked towards the girl and held out a big towel. "I t'ink ya should git out now. Ya should be gitting cold." Cherish nodded vacantly not looking at the other girl as she stood and wrapped the towel around her. Goosey nodded, feeling sorry for the shell shocked girl as she said, "I'll go get ya clothes." Goosey said as she walked out of the bathroom quietly and closed the door.

"But Jack..." Jake protested for the fourth time in their conversation. Jack shook his head and put his hand up in finality, "No! She ain't staying 'ere. I ain't gonna be known fer housen' scabs!" Goosey stopped in her journey into the girl bunk room, and her eyes darkened slightly as she stalked over to Jack.

"Ya insensitive jerk!" She hissed thumping him hard in the shoulder and turning to Jake, "Of course she can stay 'ere. As head a' d'a Manhattan giols, I 'ave d'a right ta say 'hoo stay's and 'hoo goes. She stays!" Goosey added for Jacks benefit.

"Goosey..." Jack started in a whining disbelieving voice. Goosey stalked away without another word and picked up the small suitcase that Jake had brought in with Cherish. Opening it she sighed, another poor ragamuffin, One dress lay in the suitcase and two pairs of undergarments.

"Goosey I..." Jack started again as she walked past him and into the bathroom. Cherish jumped up in fright, as she clutched the towel to her desperately. Gooseys heart went out to her. The poor cherub, must be one big mess inside.

When Jake had brought her in he had told her the whole story. The death, the police questions, and more police questions, and the blood. He couldn't stop talking about the amount of blood. It seemed to be a mantra for him.

The girl, he called her Cherish, hadn't said a word since she had arrived and it didn't look like she planned to say anything for quiet some time, that's why Goosey was surprised when, after having dressed, the girl clung to her arm and asked, looking positively beaten down, "You won't tell anyone will ya? I don't wants no one to know."

Goosey frowned and then sighed patting her on the arm in comfort, watching surprised as she flinched, "I won't tell no one, unless ya want me ta." Cherish gulped in relief and allowed herself to be lead from the bathroom into the now vacant lobby and into the bunk room where Goosey helped her into a spare bottom bunk and covered her curled up little body and left the room.

---

"Look at her hair... its white."

"Stop that twit! Leave her be!"

"I wonder who she is?"

"Maybe she's a Swedish Princess, hiding out from the Swedish mafia?"

"Ramble!" Cherish's eyes fluttered open at the group declaration, or was it a demand.

"Well she could be... I was just saying that... hey look she's awake." Cherish tried to focus on the curious, freckled, crinkled little nose of a light brown haired girl, as her brown eyes seemed to brim over with curiosity.

"She has such pretty eyes!" A little girl about 8, giggled and she was slapped lightly on the shoulder by a dark brown haired girl. Cherish blinked, taking aback by the girls crowded around her. "You're the Ice princess." A brunette with a loud yellow headkerchief said her brown eyes were slightly surprised.

Without realizing it Cherish's eyes glazed over and her gaze became a glare, at the mention of the name that brought her so much pain. The little blonde curly haired girl reached out a gentle hand to stroke over her hair again. "I think you have purdy hair." She stated.

Cherish swung her eyes towards the girl the cold glare still there, but surprise also registered. The girl smiled brightly and Cherish bit her lip and directed her head to look back down on the bed, as she pulled the thin blanket around her tightly, and closed her eyes against the flood of memories.

"Hey goils back up! Back up! Let the poor gal breathe!" Goosey grinned as she pushed the curious crowd away from the Ice princess, and looked down at her with sympathy as she watched the girl draw blood from her pale lips as she bit down on it with force.

"I t'ink Cherish is still purdy tired, let's clear out, an give 'er some time ta rest. Ya can all meet 'er later." Goosey decided trying to usher all the girls out of the room. "D'is is me room jest as much as 'er's I'se gonna stay 'ere. T'ank ya!" A dark haired girl called Relic challenged Goosey.

Goosey looked between the tense curled form of Cherish and the relaxed, indifferent loll, of the other girl as she lay on her top bunk across the room from Cherish. With a shrug Goosey decided that she couldn't do much harm and headed out of the door with the rest of the girls, as Ramble started to do what she had been named for.

---

"Cherish... wake up! Wake up!" A voice was breaking through her race from the black figure. She stopped in search of the voice and the knife went through her chest sharply. She swung her flaxen head in the murderer's direction and she was suddenly brought to life with a sharp shake.

"No!" She only mouthed the words. Jake pulled her too him again holding her quivering body tightly, whispering, "It was just a dream Cherish. It was just a dream. You're safe." Jake soothed her again his hands in her soft hair.

Cherish quivered, the tears pricking in her eyes as she clutched at him, and buried her head in his neck. Wanting to feel safe. Wanting to feel better. Wanting to be free of the memories. But mostly wanting her sister back.

Jake moved onto the bunk, ducking his tall head, Cherish swivelling so that she could stay held tightly against his reassuring strength. Jake asked quietly, "Do ya want ta tell me 'bout it?" Cherish whimpered at the memories, and slowly, shook her head trying to banish her dream from her scarred mind.

"What aren't ya telling me? Do ya know 'hoo killed Marea?" Jake whispered Cherish turned her head into his neck even more and shook her head, "No! I don't know who it was." Cherish whispered, regretting the lie, especially since Jake had been so nice to her.

In shame Cherish turned her head outwards and saw the hovering figure of a raven haired girl, as she twisted her hands worriedly. Cherish pulled back from Jake, keeping her eyes pierced on to girl. Jake looked up as well and started to smile.

Cherish saw Jake extend his hands, as he stood and the girl took one and came close. "Raven, d'is is Cherish. Cherish d'is is me giol Raven." Raven smiled tentatively holding out a hand which Cherish ignored, "Hi." She smiled.

Cherish looked at the hand then at Jake in confusion before swinging her feet back into the bed and pulling the covers over her again, her eyes glazing over as she refused to look at either of them. "I'm tired," she whispered closing her eyes again.

"Oh.. a'right... wese leave ya be d'en. Ise gonna come back up an check on ya ag'in." Jake's voice said as she listened to his and his girlfriends footsteps heading away from her. Cherish stayed still until she couldn't hear them any more.

When they had left Cherish sighed heartily. She didn't want Jake to have a girlfriend. She wanted him to herself. If he had a girlfriend he would probably tell her about what had happened and she would be in receipt of her pity. She didn't want to be pitied.

If he had a girlfriend, he probably wouldn't want to spend any time with her, Cherish panicked suddenly. She couldn't do this alone. She needed Jakes support. He was the only one who understood what she was going through. She needed his help. She couldn't lose him!

Cherish's stomach churned in fear and panic. The other girl had spoiled everything. She had taken Jake from her. She would go crazy without Jake. Tears of fear started to trickle down her cheeks. She needed him! That thought kept playing itself over and over in her brain. She needed Jake.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Cherish had spent the last 2 weeks ingraining herself in Raven's life, until she had made herself positively indispensable. She had begged and pleaded with Raven to be her selling partner. She spent every minute she wasn't with Jake, with Raven, she was even in the bunk below Ravens.

"So where do ya wanna sell taday Ice?" Raven asked. Cherish had had to get used to her name. But the newsies had started to shorten it to just Ice, which Cherish liked better. "I don't know. Central Park?" She suggested.

"A'right." Raven said and turned to kiss Jake quickly, the unknowing recipient of a cold glare from Ice, which changed into an excited grin the moment they broke apart. "Come on Raven." Ice said pulling her away from Jake towards the park.

"How are you an' Jake goin'?" Ice asked Raven casually as they started selling there papes. Raven smiled impulsively, "I t'ink d'at Jake is plannin' a surprise party fer our one year anniversary. He was never good at keepin' secrets." Raven giggled happily.

Ice kept smiling but inside her mind was whirling. Jake was organising a surprise party, she knew because Jake had asked her to help him. Casually Ice said, "well d'at might explain why 'e was in d'a pub with a red head a coupla days ago. Maybe it 'ad ta do wit' a party?"

Raven frowned, "What do ya mean?" Ice looked up all innocence and surprise, Ice thought her sentence out carefully before shrugging her slender shoulders and saying, "Ise sure it was nuttin', but Jake an I was walking around an' he said d'at he had ta go to da pub, I stayed outside, an' when he hadn't come out fer a while I peeked in an' saw 'im drinking an' laughing wit' a red head."

Ice patted Raven on the shoulder comfortingly, "Ise sure it was completely innocent Rav... really. You'se been going out for a year. D'at a long time. He wouldn't do anything ta distrupt d'at." Ice said cunningly as she saw doubt fill Ravens pretty face as she nodded as well... not quiet as sure as Ice seemed to be.

---

"Jake, I'd like ya ta met Cleopatria... she's da friend I told ya about." Cherish said pointedly, reminding him of the conversation they had had about Cleopatria a friend of her sister Marea. Cherish had told Jake that she was... a little crazy, and did things without comprehending their consequences.

She had also told Jake that she may have some idea of who had been Marea's killer. That's why they were here, outside a pub, across from central park. To talk to crazy old Cleopatria. Of course everything she had said was a lie, but she was desperate. She had to break up Raven and Jake. Before Raven turned Jake against her and she lost him.

"Cleo, d'is is Jake. My friend. We'se here ta ask ya about something..." Cherish started and broke off as she saw Firefly, and Shasta standing in the park looking over at the group of three. "Excuse me a minute. Ise be right back okay?" Cherish offered warily to Jake who nodded slightly and tried to make small chat with Cleo as Cherish dashed over to Shasta and Firefly.

"Hey goils." Cherish said with planned light heartedness, then as if on cue, both girls eyes grew wide and Cherish turned to see Cleo kiss Jake passionate, with him doing nothing to resist. "Ohh.. ah... I guess... I forgot ya was coming... I... I'll show ya what I was gonna show you latah... I gotta go remind Jake about Ravens party. Sorry goils." Cherish said impressing upon them the honest reliable friendship she liked to appear to have with Raven.

"Ahh... soire... we will see ya back at d'a lodging house." Firefly said and Shasta gawked at both girls, "But what about..." Firefly stabbed her pointer finger into Shasta's ribs and dragged her away. Cherish said in a whisper loud enough to appear casual but that would still reach the two news girls, "Not again! He promised he wouldn't do d'is no more." Then, grinning quietly, Cherish made up a face of shock and ran to Cleo and Jake.

"Cleo! Stop d'at! Jake's got a goilfriend!" Cherish said jumping in between them. Turning to Jake, her back to Cleo, she looked apologetic, "Ise sorry, why don't ya start home, I'll catch ya in a second, I'll jest say goodbye." Cherish offered with a poised look of regret.

Jake nodded looking decidedly uncomfortable as he started walking away slowly so that Cherish could catch up. Turning to Cleo, Cherish smiled warmly and pulled out two-bits. "Good job, Martha. D'ey don't call ya operators in love, for no reason." Cherish said to the prostitute she had hired for this particular job.

Dashing after Jake she put her hand on his shoulder and said regretfully, "ise real sorry Jake, Ise didn't know she'd do d'at! But you handled it just like I told ya. She got bored a lot quicker, when ya jest let her have her way. Ohh... you have a liddle lipstick on ya lips, no no let me get it..." Cherish said as his hand went up to wipe it.

Pulling out her lace handkerchief, Cherish wiped one side of his mouth, of the disgusting bright red lipstick. Jake looked up and asked anxiously, "is it all gone now?" Jake went to touch his lips but Cherish grabbed both of his hands and stood in front of him so he would have to stop walking, "Its definitely all gone." Well that was the truth... if you closed your left eye, you couldn't see the red lipstick smeared on that side of his lips.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Shasta paced through the Brooklyn warehouse agitated. "Seddle down Shasta and tell me again." Shamrock O'Malley, chief of the Brooklyn news girls asked calmly. She was darning a sock of Spots that had a hole in it. She HATED sewing, but Spot had asked so nicely, and they were the only pair of socks he had, and it was the middle of winter.

"I just don't feel right about it ya know? Jake came home, with the lipstick of the girl still on his lips... why wouldn't he have wiped it off? Why wouldn't Ice have wiped it off. She was with him." Shamrock didn't look up from her mending as she said, "Maybe Ice felt it was her duty to make Raven aware of Jake's... infidelities..." Shamrock said discreetly.

"Nah... Ice and Raven are good friend alright, but Ise know d'at Ice's main loyalty is ta Jake. She idolizes 'im or somet'ing... Ise mean she didn't do nuttin' when Raven and Jake got inta d'ere huge fight. She just sat there looking at the ground. A course when Raven ran down the stairs an' inta the street... Ice followed, but Raven still didn't understand what had happened when she got back."

Shasta continued to pace slamming her hands into her legs, "Raven, is real understandin'... and I know d'at she would believe Jake didn't do nuttin ta da't goil, if Ice, had told 'er d'en she woulda checked with Jake, and she woulda being happy wit d'at explanation. I know it!" Shasta said vehemently.

"How does ya know d'at Jake didna kiss the doxie bird on purpose?" Shamrock asked. She too had her doubts about the situation as Shasta was laying it out. But she wanted to check all avenue's before she made judgement.

Shasta frowned, "If ya'd been there ya woulda seen it. There's a difference between, kissing someone and being kissed. Jake didn't embrace the goil... he didn't do nuttin wit' 'is hands. In fact d'ey was clenched by 'is side, and Firefly wasn't looking but when I looked back, Jake didn't seem to mind leavin' the goil alone. Even though Ice stayed behind ta tawk to her."

"Besides all d'at. You know Jake as well as Ise does... he wouldn't 'ave done nuttin' ta hoirt Raven. He's plum crazy 'bout her. An he jest isn't d'a cheating type. I don't trust d'ey way Ice keeps sending comments between Jake and Raven neiddah... they always seem ta end up maddah d'en before after Ice gives 'em a message. Maybe Ise overreacting, but I don't trust Ice as far as Ise could throw 'er... neiddah does Jack fer d'at mattah. D'e only reason she's in d'a lodging house is 'cause of Jake, Raven and Goosey."

Shamrock had laid her mending down and she was standing with a frown marring her creamy pale face. "Yer right Shasta it jest doesna seem ta add up. I t'ink I'll go 'ave a tawk ta Ice... and see what's really going on wit' 'er. Ise purdy good at readin' people. Tell Spot ta get someone else ta finish 'is mending." Shamrock said the last with relish she didn't like sewing anyway.

---

Ice waltzed happily into the lodging house. She was alone today... all the newsies were out selling and Kloppman had said something about going shopping with Phoenix. Cherish spun in a circle her arms rising in the air. She was the happiest she had been in ages.

Jake and Raven were still fighting, she had heard both of them say that it was over between them. Of course it had come after she had told them both the other wanted to end the relationship. Everything was working out exactly as planned.

Well almost everything. Ice was still spending an awful lot of time with Raven, comforting her and following through with her own ruthless plains. Not that she didn't like the girl, in fact it was quiet the opposite, she was liking her much to much.

She had started the whole plan to get herself and Jake as far away from her as possible. Now she was having to spend time with her. Large amounts... she had to do something to discredit Raven so much so that to have her and Ice spend time together would be impossible. But she had to do it without

indicating herself in the whole sordid affair.

Smelling a sweet soft lilting fragrance sailing through the air Ice followed it only to stop deathly still and stare shocked at the arrangement of poppy's on the table, and beside them, a young girl with dark red hair and pale complexions and a smatter of freckles.

Ice coughed twice and the girl looked up startled, "Ohh.. hello you must be Cherish LaRusso... Ice?" The girl asked cautiously. Ice moved forward her eyes still on the poppies that were identical to the flowers her sister had brought at the markets the morning she had died.

Ice's stomach dropped and her face blanched even paler then usual. Gripping the edge of a lounge chair Ice whispered, "who are you?" the girl looked sharply at Ice as if wondering whether she was alright. "I'm Shamrock O'Malley... leader of the Brooklyn Girls."

Ice closed her eyes a moment and tried to compose herself. With a jerking of her emotional strings she had come so close to letting her feelings run rampant. Reining in most of her havoc wrecking emotions Ice let a strong bitter sense of anger pervade from her.

How dare this stranger come into her safe haven, this place she called home and bring those dreadful flowers, the ones that her sister loved. How dare she just show up here, and almost make Ice reveal her true feelings. How dare she! "What are you doing here?" Cherish asked absolutely freezingly.

"Shasta told me what she thought you were doing. Is she right?" the red head leader of Brooklyn, Shamrock O'Malley questioned straight to the point. Cherish lifted her cold eyes and said with the dignity of her proud Northern Italian/Gypsy heritage, "why is you askin' me? Why don't you ask Shasta?"

"I guess I'm what's called d'e go-between." Shamrock said evenly her hands by her side. Cherish pulled her lips into a sneer, "Youse good at it ain't ya. I'se bet fer sure you'se d'e go between fer Spot and his male lover." Cherish was aiming to hurt.

Shamrock's greens eyes grew wide with shock and outrage. She had heard of the Ice Princess, she knew she was rumoured to be hard and unfeeling. But they had only just met, and the girl was seeming to enjoy her outrage.

Shamrock blinked trying to figure out why this girl was trying to unbalance her after only just meeting her. It may have been a defense technique but Shamrock was picking up that she meant to hurt her, she wanted her to be angry.

"You don't know Spot. Take it back!" Shamrock gritted trying to hold her temper long enough to figure out the girls reasoning. "I knows d'at he's looking fer anyone d'at will sleep wit' 'im since you won't give it up!" Cherish taunted as crudely as she could.

That's when Shamrocks hand flew up of it own violation and slapped Cherish soundly on her pale cheek. Cherish's eyes leapt before she covered them with ice again. She raised a somewhat mechanical hand to her cheek. Shamrock got the uneasy feeling the girl had expected it.

"GET OUT!" She hissed her voice lacking the anger Shamrock had expected. She just seemed resigned. "I shouldna have hit you." Shamrock gritted immediately. She knew it was true she shouldn't have but she'd be damned if she was going to apologise to the wench. She was a conniving two face liar, Shamrock could feel it.

"Get out," she said again softly. It was a bleak order, with no conviction in it. Shamrock turned proudly and held her head high as she walked out of the Manhattan lodging house She was still trying to understand how the girl had riled her so quickly with in seconds. It was scary.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"'ello? Anyone 'ere?" Jake and Snoddy both called as they entered from the streets. Snoddy looked at Jake and shrugged, "guess we'se de first ones home." He said unaffected by the confusion on his friends face. "Cherish should be 'ere..." Jake said taking the steps up to the bunk room two at a time.

He entered the normally dark room, and was suspicious when he saw a lump on Cherish's bed with a blanket covering it. Approaching it cautiously he stuck a finger out and poked the squishy lump gently

He jumped back when the lump jumped and a strangled whimper came from under the blanket. A familiar whimper, Jake realized once he had gotten over his initial shock. "Cherish?" Jake asked peeking under the blanket only to have a hand reach up from where it had lain lifelessly beside the lump and push his head roughly from the blanket.

Jakes head popped back out from the blanket and he looked surprised at the rude gesture. Pulling the blanket from Cherish's head he gasped his big strong, print smudged hands turned her head, as he held it gently in his hands shaking his head in mute shock.

"What happened Cherish?" Cherish tried to pull away. It didn't work Jakes as holding firmly to her bruised jaw. "I... I... didn't mean to hurt anyone..." Cherish whispered, the tears dormant in her eyes, she refused to cry.

Jake swore as he ran his hand down her large black mark, a slap mark. His fingers each traced the many tiny scars across her face. He turned his head from the small bleeding gash at her temples and his stomach tossed angrily. "Who did this to you Cherish?" Jake asked trying to remain calm.

Cherish widened her eyes and shook her head pulling from him and huddling on the bed again. "No... No... N!" She whispered helplessly rocking back and forth slowly. Jake picked her up, ducking his head under Ravens bunk, sitting the girl on his lap as he said firmly, "Who did it Cherish?"

Cherish gulped a strange inaudible sound from her lips and she whispered, "It wasn't on purpose... it wasn't on purpose... promise ya won't git mad?" Jake nodded his stomach was still churning and the lie only increased his unease.

"Ise... Ise got inta a fight wit... wit'..." Cherish's eyelids closed for a moment as she dragged in a breath and whispered, "Raven..." The churning in Jakes stomach fell right out, until there was nothing but a numb feeling of sickness in his stomach. "Raven did this?"

Cherish went on to explain about the fingernails, and the slapping, and the hitting and the furious, disgusting insults Raven had hurled at her in her un-placatable fury after Shamrock O'Malley had told her that Cherish had stolen Jake on purpose.

"I just kept livin' it ovah and ovah ag'in. Am I bad? Does no-one love me?" Cherish asked pitifully as her dark mind retraced her steps. A slap from Shamrock. A rusty nail, dragged repeatedly across her face, a few choice words in the ears of a couple of drunkards, that had taken care of her physical state, then she had had around an hour in with to prepare her professional like act.

Jake rocked her tightly his mind whirling with sick thoughts, of a cat fight between the ever fragile Ice and the mean, manipulative cheater that was his ex-girlfriend. He said, "Jakes here now. Jakes here now." A repetitive monologue.

How could he have read someone so wrong. He prided himself on being a good judge of character. Unlike the others he actually observed people, cautiously careful, determining what they were doing and why. He had never picked up on Raven's violent temper... he never even associated the word temper with her... let alone violent. What had caused her to change so rapidly?

---

"What's all this about?" Raven looked around the room of Manhattan News Boys and Girls. She was surrounded by so many faces. Faces she had considered friendly. Nice. Her family. Yet now she found many of them turned away from her in disgust or disbelief. At least there was some people that were looking at her.

The sympathetic faces of a few of her friends, Mockin' Boird, wearing another loud headkercheif, Twit and Ramble, Twit was smiling waterly and Ramble gave a silent thumbs up and a half smile. Firefly, with a confused anonymous, look. Buttercup a dark glare was darted towards the front of the crowd then a grim look of determination and support was passed subtlety on to Raven. Dollar was a tight smile and a whispered, "hey Rav..." and a quick clutch of her hand as she walked forward.

And her best friend Cherish. Raven frowned slightly as she saw Cherish at the front of the group Jakes protective arm wrapped around her hunched shoulders, as her head remained down bent. Absently Raven glared at Jakes arm, that had used to sit so snugly on her shoulders, and now, as Shamrock had told her, lay across Cherishs.

If only Cherish had told her. It would have been easier coming from her own mouth instead of the Brooklyn girls leader. Shamrock had told her that Cherish had been setting them both, Jake and Raven, up for a fall. But Raven couldn't believe that of her best friend. They were together, but they had been friends beforehand... and sometimes... things grew into more.

Raven's heart squeezed painfully. She would always love Jake. Always. But she wouldn't do anything to stand in the way of his happiness. That's why ever since Shamrock had told her what was going on she had stayed out of their way. She was temporarily at Brooklyn with Shamrock, Shasta was the only one that knew about it and had become a regular visitor in the 2 days since she had moved in.

"Ise can't believe you kin stand there so innocent after what you've done ta ya friend!" And me, Jake longed to shout brokenly. "How could ya do d'is ta someone d'at only wanted ta be ya friend?" Someone that loved you more then life itself. "How could ya let ya tempah lose on someone so fragile?" Some who would have done anything to keep you happy. Jake sighed at the thoughts of his own betrayal by the girl he loved echoing his statements.

"Raven, tempah?" Shasta asked surprised. Shasta had expected a show down. She knew Ice had been manipulating things again. But she hadn't expected Jake to accuse Raven of having a temper. It would have been less crazy to say Jack was humble, that Davey was stupid, that Spot didn't have a temper, that Les wasn't a midget.

Jake had never been one for public confrontation, but now it was his only form of defensive... if he wasn't surrounded by ALL these faces, all curious and wondering, he knew he would have forgiven Raven anything, everything... and have taken her into his arms like he longed to.

"Raven... I never want to see you again! You are cruel and have a problem wit' ya tempah! Have ya seen what ya did ta Cherish?" Jake asked going to grab Cherish's face only to have her strangle out wretchedly, "No... no Jake don't..."

"Ta Cherish? Raven ain't done nuttin' ta Cherish how could she 'ave? She's been in Brooklyn wit' Shamrock fer the last week or so!" Finally Jake managed to get a grip of Cherish's face and he lifted it into view a gasp coming from everyone but Jake, Cherish and Raven. "Ice... what happened?" Raven asked pleadingly her eyes searching Cherish's for some response.

Cherish tried to pull away from Jake and his somewhat punishing grip on her face and she whispered in what she thought was suitably stricken, scared tone, "I'm sorry Raven... I didn't wanna tell him... please... please... don't get mad..." Cherish trailed off the last 3 words a whisper.

"We donna wants people like you in d'is 'ouse Raven. Get out... get out and don't come back!" Jake said with a furious hiss to hide his breaking heart. "Ice..." Raven said her shocked, innocent face swinging away from Jake's harsh words to see, what Shasta had always claimed, a cold, dark kind of victory... a look of revenge... Raven let out a little gasp and ran from the room without a word in her defensive.

She had to get out of the room, the suffocating room. The glares. The glares from all around... like they were going to attack her any moment. Her first thought of it feeling like an ambush had been correct... not only was it an ambush... but a betrayal... by the 2 people she loved and trusted the most. The two people that had broken her very trusting nature. She felt nothing... just confusion, and heartbreak.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Ya soire ya aright by yaself?" Ice nodded with a smile, she lifted her face for one of Jakes quick kisses and she started off to sell her papers. Things were the way they should be. She and Jake were together. All time they spent together... except for today, when in receipt of Shasta's constant furious glares, Shasta had asked Jake to sell with her, while Jack sold by himself, something about an argument they had had the night before.

And it was like Raven never existed. At least for her and Jake. Others had worked up the courage to ask what had happened the day that Raven had supposedly attack her. She had either related a sob story where she still tried to appear as she didn't blame her friend Raven, no matter what she had done... or she refused to talk about it, claiming it made her too sad.

"Extry, Extry, William Watson, suspect in the midtown tenement murder has been spotted in Manhattan!" One of her fellow newsies called and the smile that had graced her pale face moments ago, fell in an instant... She turned her paper over and gave a little gasp of horror.

Her eyes scanned the front page, once, twice, thrice... "Bill..." Ice's heart pounded sickly. Images of the fight... the horrible words, "My baby... Marea it was my baby!" Bill had cried anguished. Cherish stumbled off to the side of the street, moving in one direction until she found herself down an alley, against a wall.

Raven stopped, she had been meant to talk to Ice in central park. Shasta had planned it so that Jake would sell with her and Ice would be left alone. That was when Raven was going to confront her about why she had lied. It wasn't the smartest idea... and Ice would use it against her in a second, Raven had figured her out now and the level Ice LaRusso had sunk to was still shocking, but Raven's reputation couldn't get any worse. She wanted answers.

She had seen the girl she had thought of as a friend head in her direction, but she had stopped, and lurched off in another direction, down a nearby alley, occupied with Drunks and dead-beats... but not usually the vicious kind. "What are you up ta now Ice Princess?" Raven wondered quietly heading towards the alley after her.

---

Jake frowned as he read the paper for a second time under Shasta's confused eye. "What's wrong Jake?" Shasta asked concerned. Jake looked up his face ashen, "this is why she wouldn't tell me who the killer was. It was her brother-in-law." Jake said in shock.

Shasta took a paper of her own, only to have to sell it when a well heeled man came and offered her a 10th of a cent. The news of the murder was a big seller today. A few others came and brought a paper from Shasta since Jake was sitting on the curb of the street shocked.

Once the small crowd had all been given their papers Shasta took a moment to read the first paragraph of the 'Suspected murderer on the loose' story.

"A year ago almost to the day, a young woman, Marea Watson, was found murdered in her family tenement. She was newly married, and 1 month pregnant when she was viciously strangled, and gutted during her daily chores. The only lead the police had was Mrs Watson's missing husband William Watson, who was no where to be seen when Mrs Watson's younger sister, Cherish... LaRusso..., found the body..."

Shasta's voice trailed off as the impact of the story hit her. "Oh god... Jake... Jake? JAKE!" Shasta called as the shocked Jake jumped into action heading for central park. "What are you going to do Jake?" Shasta called dropping her papers besides Jake's discarded ones and following him with speed.

---

"Marea... oh god Marea what happened... What happened?" Bill asked feverishly as he saw he wife laying on the bed. The bedclothes were soaked with a drying red stain. Bill looked on shocked, worried and confused... "She... She said that we couldn't afford a baby... she... she said that there was no other choice..." Cherish said, tears streaming down her face as she continuously tired to clean up the mutilated stomach of her sister.

"She won't let me call the doctor... Ohhh Bill what are we too do... she needs a doctor." Cherish asked turning to see Bill sit in a near by chair in shock. Cherish started to panic trying to wipe the blinding tears from her eyes, so she could clean up her pained sister, "BILL! BILL! WHAT DO I DO?" Cherish screamed wringing the blood stained wash cloth in the already bloodied water trying to stop the ever flowing blood from her sisters stomach.

"My baby... Marea it was my baby... why did you...? You should have told me..." Bill groped for words, as Marea croaked from her lips, even the slight words, Cherish could tell causing her pain, "We couldn't afford it... " She croaked.

Cherish screamed and jumped away from the bed as Bill stood and stumbled over to his maimed wife, "HOW COULD YOU? IT WAS OUR BABY!" He was shaking her. Cherish's eyes grew wide and the sickening panic exploded inside her, propelling her legs from her self-wounded sister and her furious husband.

Cherish didn't let thoughts start to register until she was on the door of the hospital. Then she stopped... hesitated... what if they punished Marea? What if they told the church? Marea was a staunch Roman Catholic... she would die if she was banned from the church for killing her own child. Cherish's hand... poised to knock fell to her side and she walked... slowly back to the tenement her mind playing the torturing 'what if' game.

Instinct alone led her up to her front door... but self preservation made her stop at the slightly ajar door... listening for any movement. She stood for a time just listening... when nothing came she opened the door and entered.

Her mind couldn't even muster up a gasp as she saw the lifeless body of her sister on the floor. She had been strangled. But she would have died anyway. Her wounds were to bad to have her survive without medical attention. Medical attention Cherish hadn't brought her. With blind empathy Cherish stepped over her body and sat down beside her... pulling the tiny body of her older sister into her arms and hugging her in the need for comfort.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Ice?" Raven called keeping to the walls of the alley stepping past the drunks quickly stopping near Ice to see tears steam from her vacant eyes, her shoulders sobbing, but no sound was heard from her mouth. "Ice?" Raven asked again waving her hand in front of her eyes.

"Raven?" She called weakly coming back to the present with a violent shudder. "What's wrong Ice?" Raven asked tentatively... she didn't want to be drawn into Ice's web of lies once more. "Raven?" Ice repeated both involved in syllabic monologues.

Then the tears resurfaced and Ice wept as she said hysterically, "I'm sorry Raven, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean for it to end like that... I never meant... I'm sorry." Raven looked on blankly, tears shimmering in her own eyes as she was driven to ask, "Why? Did you always hate me? How could you work your way into my feelings, my heart, let me call you friend then turn on me? How could you?" Raven cried wretchedly.

'Does no-one love me?' That's what she had asked Jake. In a minute, the instinctive regret, that she had been able to brush aside in the name of self preservation, grew to a deadly, dangerous realization that she had been loved, by Jake, and by Raven, and in a self absorbed craze she had lost them both.

In the fear that she would lose the one person that understood her, she had gained and lost the heart of Raven, who Cherish only now saw as her saviour not her destruction. The girl, innocent, sweet, gentle, loyal, self-less, had been the one god had sent her way... not Jake, he had just been the link, Raven had been the key.

And Jake the one she claimed to love. Her drive to prevent him ever possibly rejecting her had destroyed the one that had originally saved her. Although she could call him hers now, with no fear of rejection. He wasn't the Jake she wanted. He wasn't the Jake she had ruined lives for. Raven had made him the Jake she longed for.

Cherish brought her cold blue eyes to look Raven in the face, summoning false bravado like she had so many times before... but it wasn't there, and as soon as the two girls eyes clashed hers went skittering away cowardly.

"Ice?" Raven called, bludgeoning Cherish with guilt that she had been able to ignore for so long. "Don't... not now..." Cherish whispered dry wretching at the picture of Bill in the paper laid facing her on the ground. "Cherish?" Raven said taking one of the Gypsies hands in her own two as if realizing something was dreadfully wrong.

"What is it?" Cherish stopped breathing. Not intentionally, she just stopped, she wasn't here... where she was she didn't need to breathe... she wouldn't be punished physically for her crimes... where she was she was alone... surrounded by phantoms of her past life... her life as Ice. She wasn't Ice any more... "not Ice..." the being whispered through the numbing pain in her skull.

"ICE!" The shout came from the top of the alley, Raven's eyes went up to see Jake, turning her eyes from his painful features to fix on Shasta helplessly. "Ice... why didn't you tell me?" He whispered ignoring Raven who was bundle into the arms of Shasta, as the older news girl explained what had happened.

"It doesn't matter. I'm not Ice... take me home boy..." She asked of Jake as she stood, and Jake clutched her close ushering her up the alley towards the lodging house. Raven, clutching at Shasta followed close behind, surprised she hadn't been told to disappear by Jake.

Jake helped Ice up the stairs of the lodging house as she called, "bring me a piece of paper and a pencil!" Kloppman the owner of the lodging house shrugged ripping a few pieces of paper from the book and a pen from near the ledger and hurrying them upstairs after the quartet.

Jake pushed her gently towards her bed but she shook her head, "Not there... in the attic, lead me to the attic." Jake frowned, seriously concerned. Raven and Shasta stayed in the bunkroom as Jake took the shattered girl up to the attic, sitting her down on a dusty crate next to a broken writing table, he found himself pushed of another crate by her booted foot.

"Go away! Make peace with Raven, if you have a heart make peace with Raven..." She order darkly blocking her ears to the words he was about to say. Jake shut the attic door quietly and slumped against it, he had heard her order but refused to be out of hearing distance of the attic, in case she tried something dreadful.

---

Jake awoke with a start as he saw Raven's head peering cautiously up the winding stair case looking intently at the door... "Is she alright?" Jake nodded still sleeply disorientated. Standing, and turning he knocked on the door calling, "Ice... Ice sweetie are you alright?" There was no word.

Jake's heart pounded in his heart, but not as it did when he lost Raven, he thought to himself in disgust. He knocked again and no sound came from the small attic. Turning the knob Jake burst into the room followed behind by Raven.

Jakes eyes looked disconcerted around the quiet room, seeing nothing out of place, except a piece of paper held by a tin cup, against the slightly breezy current coming from a broken window. Walking to the broken writing desk, and hearing Raven walk to the window, he picked up the two folded pieces of paper.

He turned them over about to open them, then he noted the soft scrawl written, "For Shamrock O'Malley ONLY!" Jake frowned and Raven said, "It looks like she left out the window... maybe she needed air..." She said not believing it.

"We have to go see Shamrock O'Malley, these are addressed to her." Jake said, the thought in the back of his head running, that any other worried boyfriend wouldn't wait for Shamrock, but he did. Ice had known he would too. Of that he was certain.

Raven looked up quietly still trying to ignore the uncomfortable silence that had gathered in the room when they had. "She's in Brooklyn..." She finally supplied looking around the room for any trace of life. Anything that would show Ice was still around. "Then that's where we have to go." Jake said blankly heading out of the attic, Raven hot on his heels.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Shamrock looked first at Jake then at Raven, unsure whether their strange request was a joke or serious. Finally she decided it must be serious. She'd sent Shasta to make tea, and when she returned, she ordered the three Manhattanite's to sit, as she did as well, finally unfolding the two pieces of paper.

"The Last will and testament of Cherish Larusso, also known as the Ice Princess" Shamrock started as Raven gave a sobbing gasp and Jake's face went very ashen. Shasta put down her tea, not at all thirsty an more. Shamrock continued.

"I named you executor of my will, because you were the one person that I think held the key to unbalancing me. You didn't even realize it did you? Our first meeting, you managed to sadden me with so much grief I was able to shoot back at you with twice the anger. Your hand helped in my persecution of Raven."

Shamrock read aloud with a feeling of sickness... she looked down at her own hand as if it had betrayed her and everything she stood for. The other three though all became instantly still at the bombshell.

"Before I move to my bequeaths, for those who may care, Cherish LaRusso is dead to the world, as is The Ice Princess, but our body does live. Just not as either Cherish or Ice did. I don't know what is yet to happen but, I promise to spend the rest of my life repenting the havoc I caused. I expect no sympathy and that is why I crept away without being seen so I wasn't swayed by the loving nature of all that surrounded such a deviant as myself. On to my bequeaths." Shamrock continued to read more and more intrigued.

"To My boyfriend Jake I leave the knowledge that you were fooled, you were lied to. And the culprit was myself. It's with shame and guilt that I write, From the moment you whisked into my life, defending me at the distribution centre, helping me in more ways then you could know with my sister, and introducing me to a life to start again, I felt a desperate possessive need to never lose you. When the lies started it was fear that drove me, please believe that I never meant it to go to where it did... I just wanted to be sure you wouldn't leave me... but then it become something else... I needed to know all the time that you were looking out for me... that you cared, that was why I had to rid you of Raven. That's why everything I ever said in relation to Raven was a lie, and I hope that I haven't done too much damage to be repaired."

"To my Best friend Raven, I leave the knowledge that you were my hero. And that's why I hated you. You had everything I ever wanted, and I suppose that is why I set out to destroy you. I know what I've done will never be able to be forgiven but please know that in the alley was when I realized that you were my saving grace. If I had taken the time before to realize it, I know things would have been different and I only beg that you realize the error of my human jealousy."

"To my most noble enemy Shasta I leave the knowledge that you were right all along, and the task, that should be mine to carry out but, I shan't be there so it's up to you. I leave you the duty of seeing Raven and Jake back together. If you want to deny my wishes I wouldn't resent you, but this is something bigger then you or I and I can hold my peace at least over the knowledge that leaving this job to you I can be sure you will succeed."

"To everyone I've known since the day of Marea's death I leave you an explanation of what happened that day, in the hope that you may one day understand my reasoning." Shamrocks clear voice had called the words so easily, but she started to stumble as she read the graphic, sickening, and pitying words that related Cherish's life as the youngest child of a Northern Italian mother, who never wedded the gambling, abusive Gypsy man Cherish and Marea had called father. She stumbled sickeningly over the description of Marea's abortion and Bill's fury, then of Jake's part as her saviour.

Shamrock was ready to drop the letter obviously writing in sharp digging pain, that had eaten away at the girl who had writing it. "In closing I suggest that you treat my time with you as a bad dream, and I hope one day if we meet again I will be a better person. Until that time though, the Cherish that you at one time loved, only wishes that the four of you, will heal the pain I caused, and one day maybe forgive my memory if you could never forgive me." With those final words Shamrock dropped the letter as if it burnt her.


	10. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

She stumbled along the streets talking to herself, as she had for the last three weeks. "Not Ice... not Ice, Cherish no... not Ice... Sins, sins, sins, cast aside your faith, and come to the embrace of the devil. Embraced by the devil... Not Ice... Not Ice..." The blond girl continued to ramble, pacing back and forth along a small strip of alley, her arms wrapped around her shoulders to hold in the little warmth her sparse clothes afforded her.

"Not Ice... Jake and Raven, together... yes together they should be, here comes the bride... Mary, Mary, not Ice... " She hadn't stopped rambling in three weeks... she sleep only when her body lost control to exhaustion, then she awoke and started rambling again.

"Royalty, Ice, not a queen... not ice... to cold for Ice..." The bums, drunk or otherwise, continued to find the crazy girl a strange oddity, she could cast the most evilest of glares upon any of them... for no given reason, then she could be cawling at them desperately pleading for ice.

"Cherish."

The girl stopped as if a bear had jumped into the alley bearing it's teeth fiercely at her. "Not Cherish..." She refused the exclamation in furious anger. "NOT CHERISH!" She shouted.

"Cherish LaRusso."

"NOT CHERISH! NOT CHERISH!" She cried anguised as her small, mal-nutrishied fisted rained weakly on his chest and she cried, "No... no... no... not Cherish... not Ice... no..." She broke down, her legs giving way, her only saviour the arms that caught her about her waist.

His arms picked her up, and carried her from the alley. There were muted protests from the bums on the alley. They were mostly drunks, and beggars, society's retrabates, but in there way, had grown accoustomed to the girls rambling, but none of them made a firm stand.

The girls long silver hair hung down towards the ground, her arms and legs limp as she kept sobbing, "not Cherish, not Ice." Her eyes slipped opened and closed without logically reason, and before she could make any sense of the matter she found herself in a soft bed, across from a fire, dank brick walls her housing.

A chair scrapping across the cold stone floor caught her attention and her eyes turned to him, her eyes looking at him apprechensively, fear clearly registered, but along side was hopelessness, making quiet a potent misture.

"Have you any idea of what has happened to me? I lost the women I loved. Since I last saw you, my world has crashed. Because of you! All because of you! The suspect me of murdering Marea... did you tell them that?" Bill asked sharply.

She registered that his breath didn't smell as it had usual smelt of strong liqour. She wasn't sure if that made him more or less dangerous. His own eyes were clouded with desperation. Her eyes stayed wide, even though she wished they would close.

"Not Cherish. Not Ice." She mumbled, not sure wheather she would receive condemnation or acclaimation from her brother-in-law.

"No... I don't suppose you'd want to be. I've heard about your little escapade with the Manhattan Newsies. Made quiet a mess of things didn't you?" Bill asked quietly, ;til this point he had remained calm. "What if those newsies were to find out where you were?"

She shook her head fearfully whispering, "no... noo..."

Bill stood, coming to kneel beside Cherish's bed looking earnestly at her as he said, "Then it looks like we both have something to lose if you don't do me this favour." Bill informed his young sister-in-law desperately.

"No..." She whispered... she knew he would ask her to do something wrong. She couldn't do it again. She just couldn't. She didn't want to hurt anyone else.

"Why? You sold your soul for a newsies, I'm your only family, I'm the one that will protect you. I'll look after you... I promise... you just have to do me a favour." Bill promised looking earnestly into her's scared eyes.

She looked back at him, searching for the protection she had always desired. Could he give her what she desperately needed? He hadn't hurt her yet... maybe he didn't intend to. Maybe...

Her eyes looked into his, renewed with a desperate hope of protection. She'd sold her soul once for it. She was willing to get her moneys worth... "What... what... do you... want me to... do..."

THE END

(or is it...?)


End file.
